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Apple Watch can now be reserved online and picked up in stores
Apple will finally start selling its Apple Watch in retail stores later this month, but if you're desperate to pick up the timepiece, there's now another ordering method to consider. The company is rolling out a "Reserve & Pickup" system which allows you to choose a Watch online and, as the name implies, ultimately buy and collect your order in store. It's a departure from the current appointment system, which requires that you order on the web -- even if you've just handled the device in a shop. Instead of waiting for the mailman to deliver your Watch, you can now choose an almost immediate booking at your nearest store and walk out with the hardware sharpish. As 9to5Mac reports, the option is already live in the UK, China and Australia, and we expect other countries will follow later today. It seems Apple is finally starting to catch up with its pre-order backlog from May.
Reserve wants you to order food at Coachella with your phone
Music festivals already dole out plenty of perks if you have a VIP pass, but Coachella is trying something new this year: ordering upscale food from your phone. Roll up to the event with a VIP wristband and you can use Reserve's restaurant app to order from pop-up locations at a flat $50 per person (not including the mandatory tip and Reserve's $5 fee). You can also use the app if you're a regular guest, but you'll be limited to the deluxe Rose Garden dinners at a hefty $225 a pop. You'd better like haute cuisine, folks. Still, you've already paid hundreds of dollars to see your favorite bands -- Reserve could be worth the added expense if it lets you enjoy concerts instead of waiting to get a seat or pay your bill.
Reserve's forget-the-bill restaurant concierge arrives on Android
Reserve's concierge service is a clever idea -- you book a table at a top-flight restaurant based on when and what you're hoping to eat, and chow down knowing that your bill is already covered. It's only been available for iPhone-toting foodies, however, so today's launch of a Reserve app for Android is a big deal. So long as you're dining in Boston, Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco, you can now secure that deluxe Mediterranean feast from your Moto X. There are a couple of helpful additions coming with the new app, too -- you can browse restaurants with a built-in map, and it's easier to both tack on extra restaurant choices or share the service with your friends (who get a $25 first-meal credit) if you want to get them hooked. This reservation app remains overkill if you're only looking for a quick bite, but it might be just the ticket if you're focused on upscale eating.
Twitter accounts for NY Post, UPI hacked to push fake WWIII alerts
No, the Pope has not announced the start of World War III (of course, if someone says something bad about his mother then all bets are off), but that news did go up in the last few minutes on Twitter from the New York Post and UPI. Both accounts have apparently been compromised and the hackers took advantage of the situation by posting fake news concerning not only military events, but also a supposed Federal Reserve emergency meeting and bank holiday.
Reserve's restaurant concierge app lets you forget about the bill
You can already organize fine dining excursions through a single app like OpenTable, but you still have to pull out your phone or wallet to pay when the night's over. You won't have to worry about the bill with Reserve's new concierge service, though. The currently iOS-only platform lets you not only find and book tables based on your preferences, but automatically bills you after each meal (tip and all); you'll be charged a $5 fee for the convenience, but that's tiny in the world of haute cuisine. If your favorite eatery is busy, you can even offer to pay more than usual in hopes of securing a spot. Want to give it a whirl? You'll have to eat in Boston, New York City or Los Angeles during the current beta testing phase, although San Franciscans will get to try it relatively soon.
Sony PS Vita demo hardware drops in at US GameStop locations, lets you go hands-on (update)
Live within the United State's borders? Fingers itching to spend some quality with Sony's latest portable gaming sensation before the First Edition Bundle lands on February 15th? Good news is here then, since GameStop has equipped "over 3,300" of its retail stores with PlayStation Vita demo kiosks. The rigs will allow you to score some quality hands-on time with many of its upcoming titles, including the likes of Uncharted: Golden Abyss and wipEout2048 -- perfect if you're not sure about reserving one just yet. Hit up the source link below to find a Vita-packing location near you, and don't forget to check out our review of the Japanese variant if you need even more help making up your mind in the meantime. Full press release after the break. Update: We're hearing from many of you in the comments, noting you're finding Vitas at some GameStop locations locked-up, and for your eyes only. So heads-up: your mileage may vary. We also want to add that according to GameStop's website, it currently has 4,460 stores in US, meaning there's a very solid chance the one near you might not be included in the demo. Update 2: Also worth note, a few other folks have mentioned that certain BestBuys will also let you get paws on one. [Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.]
Sam's Club now taking iPhone 4S reservations
If you haven't pre-ordered an iPhone 4S and really want one at launch, then you should check out Sam's Club before you start staking out your place in line. Starting today at 10:00 a.m. local time, customers can travel to the discount retailer and reserve an iPhone 4S on a first come, first service basis. All reserved iPhones will be available for pickup starting on October 14th. All you will need is a Sam's Club membership, your iTunes account information and any pertinent carrier information necessary to setup your new iPhone. The promotion doesn't say how many phones will be made available, but customers should expect the numbers to be limited as the iPhone 4S is flying off the virtual shelves. Early estimates suggest that Apple sold over one million handsets in one 24-hour period right after the pre-orders went live. [Via MacRumors]
Samsung Epic 4G Touch available for pre-order on Wirefly, early adopters get a $50 price break
There's nothing new whatsoever about high-demand phones becoming available for preorder, but it's not every day that you get a discount for being the first kid on the block to get one. As if there's any concern about pushing inventory of the Samsung Epic 4G Touch -- Sprint's variant of the Galaxy S II -- Wirefly is making the phone even more enticing by slashing $50 off the cost, bringing it down to $150 when signing up for a two-year agreement. Doing the math a different way, lighter on the checkbook plus a Samsung Galaxy S II equals happiness. Head to the source link to check out the deal.
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE ready for your reservation on Rogers
There was much rejoicing Stateside upon Tuesday's unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S II, but it's Canadian fans that are getting the party favors ready. A reservation page for the Galaxy S II LTE -- essentially the device we've grown to admire, but with an added 4G turbo boost -- is now up and running on Rogers' site. As a disclaimer, the only way to get one put on hold with your name on it is to fork over a $40 refundable deposit. We haven't seen any change in the phone's official release, so for now we should still expect it before the end of Autumn; at least speed enthusiasts are now one step closer to having the highly-coveted device in their hands. [Thanks, Mariano]
Scarpar off-road powerboard coming December 2011, just in time to replace Santa's sleigh
It's been a little over two years since we first came across Scarpar's all-terrain powerboard, and now it's just about ready to hit the streets, or mountains, or whatever. The Australian startup is currently accepting reservations for its surprisingly powerful electric skateboards -- now in two flavors. Scarpar's Model X comes equipped with two 1.5-kilowatt DC Motors and tops out at 28MPH, while the Model S offers two 750-watt motors and hits 18MPH. You can reserve one now for $500 or $600, depending on how much power you want under your feet, but be prepared to shell out either $2,800 or $3,800 when it's finally time to buy. Scarpar expects the things to ship sometime in December, so don't go making any summer vacation plans for you and your new off-roader just yet. [Thanks, Alex]
Sprint begins Kyocera Echo reservations, challenges you to a 'dual'
Surely you remember the Kyocera Echo, that dual-screen Android 2.2 phone that Sprint unveiled way back in February. Well, if it managed to pique your interest, then you'll be glad to know that Sprint's thrown up quite the unique reservation page that will let you reserve the phone now for $200 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) to ensure you'll have it on its April 17th release date. The company warns that there'll be limited quantities, so if you want to be the only one in town rocking a dual-screen smartphone, hit the source link and punch in your info -- and don't forget to try your hand at a game of Bottle Bustin' Bandits while you're there for a chance to win one of these phones.
Verizon iPhone 4 now available to order / reserve for in-store pickup
Apple and Verizon's long-awaited partnership is nearly upon us, folks, and the final piece to the puzzle is general availability of the hallowed iPhone 4. You're now able to order or reserve your own at the online stores of both carrier and phone maker, though shipping dates for early orders are listed at a distant February 18th. We'd just reserve one and go down to our nearest physical outlet to pick it up tomorrow. Update: We're now hearing that only Apple stores will take in-store reservations, while Verizon is first-come, first-served and only while supplies last. You may get lucky, but it seems the rule is that VZW won't reserve or hold phones in-store for any reason. [Thanks, S.!]
Nintendo 3DS pre-orders begin at GameStop, still no official US price
The forumites at NeoGAF were chatting it up all evening, and sure enough, it's true -- starting this morning, you can reserve a Nintendo 3DS by dropping a stack of change at any GameStop store. How high you'll have to pile the coin seems to depend on the location, as a New York employee wanted us to deposit $50, even as an Arizona store said we'd only need to bankroll a modest $25. Not that it much matters, as either way your money will go directly towards the as-yet-undetermined (likely $300) purchase price. Should your local GameStop fail to recognize the autostereoscopic handheld's impending availability, just kindly ask them to consult their computer, find the SKU field, and type in the magic numbers "020132." Then, painstakingly wait until March to claim your prize.
Mophie Juice Packs for iPhone 4, iPad en route to Apple Store
We have some details for you on Mophie's upcoming Juice Pack Universal line. Ready? Okay: available at the Apple Store sometime this month (and at Mophie's website now), all the new models, including Boost ($60), Reserve ($40) and Powerstation ($100), are compatible with all iPhone and iPod touch form factors, while the latter also throws iPad compatibility into the mix. Additionally, Reserve and Boost both feature one amp current (which, as the company points out, means they'll charge your device twice as fast as your standard 500 mAh charger), while Power Station boasts 2.1 amps. Not bad, eh? PR after the break.
Mophie Juice Pack family portrait: Powerstation, Reserve, Boost, and Air for iPhone 4
Mophie's had quite a few product announcements recently, from an iPhone 4 case / battery pack to a credit card solution with intuit. Hot on the heels of this week's Juice Pack Powerstation unveil, the company stopped by to give us a glimpse of their revised lineup. In addition to all the aforementioned, we also got to check out the Reserve and Boost that formally debuted back in June. We didn't get enough time to really put 'em through their battery charging paces, but we did get pictures -- hey, you're welcome. %Gallery-102596%
Apple introduces reserve and pick-up
As a guy who likes shopping online, but who still appreciates the act of going into a retail store for big purchases, I love this news. Apple has introduced a "Reserve and Pick-up" service for the holiday season. The name is a little unwieldy, but it gets the point across. You go onto the Apple web site to find what you want, click to reserve the product at a nearby Apple Store, and then go to the store and pick up the goods while you're doing your holiday shopping between December 15 to 24. For many folks, this might seem awkward -- why not just buy the product online and get it shipped, or just go to the store and buy it? For guys like me, it's perfect -- all of the convenience of choosing a product online, with the added bonus of being able to check out the retail store during the holidays. iLounge notes that there's no AppleTV on the list, so if you were planning to pick one up as a gift, you'll have to go a more traditional route. There's also no way to actually reserve an iPhone. Instead, you're told to get an iPhone gift card to give to some lucky recipient. Nevertheless, I like the idea of reserve and pick-up, an interesting mix of online shopping and in-store purchasing for the holiday season. It's Apple take-out.
Reserve your Death Knight name right now
Cameo of Dethecus has a good idea -- if there's a specific name for your Death Knight that you want, probably best to grab it right now. You can create a character with the name on your server right now, and then when Wrath comes out next week, delete the placeholder character and the name should be freed up for your DK.During the beta, I called my Death Knight Dingbat, only because it was the first thing that jumped to mind. But it was a little silly to hear the great knights of the Scourge ordering me around as Dingbat, so I'll probably go with something a little more threatening for the actual release: Marton? Erathor? Killahdk?Whatever it is, now's probably a good time to check and make sure your name is free and get a toon in place before someone else takes it. And please: spare us from the "Darth" names. Nobody, including Arthas, wants those.
Circuit City guarantees Super Paper Mario, puts money where mouth is
Of the many scandalous practices that game shops often subject us to without fear of reprisal, pre-order harassment is one of the worst. Not only will you be sneered at and interrogated for not reserving a new release, you'll be castigated in front of your friends and family, your manhood and the chasteness of your mother called into question. We are told that someone will also sneak under you and tie your shoelaces together so that you'll trip when you try to walk away. This is the reality of video game retailers around the country.Buying from electronics superstores like Best Buy or Fry's cuts down on the unchecked tomfoolery that governs mall-based game shops, but Circuit City is taking an extra step to satisfy its customers. As marked in last Sunday's advertisements, if you're not able to find a copy of Super Paper Mario at Circuit City tomorrow after 2 PM, the store will compensate you with a $20 gift card.A guarantee and good will gesture like that puts Circuit City at the top of our list of places to buy Super Paper Mario and other games from. We'll just have to make sure that we wear our velcro strap shoes when we go to cancel our pre-orders. [Via Opposable Thumbs]
Gamestop Wii pre-order confirmed for tomorrow [update 1]
[update 1: Gamestop has just sent an e-mail to newsletter subscribers confirming that stores across the U.S. will be taking Wii pre-orders for $50 tomorrow. Only one reservation will be accepted per household and the e-mail warns that allocations are likely to sell out within minutes. The e-mail also confirms that Canadian stores will be taking pre-orders for the Wii and PS3 on Monday, Oct. 16]While we still haven't received official official word from Gamestop in the form of an e-mail alert or press release, reports from Gamestop and EBGames employees across the country confirm that the major retail chain will indeed be taking Wii pre-orders when they open on Friday, Oct. 13. Word apparently filtered down through an e-mail sent to the chain's 3,600 stores late last night. Three different stores confirmed to Joystiq that $50 down would be enough to reserve a system.Reports on how many units are available per store vary -- one employee told Joystiq they'd be receiving 36 units, another said 32, yet another told us "under 20." Still other stores seem unwilling or unable to officially confirm the pre-order date or units available without the official word from Gamestop corporate. Regardless of what your local store tells you over the phone, though, tomorrow is definitely the day to line up if you want to reserve your Wii. We recommend you start packing your pup tent now.
It's on: Friday pre-order chaos
Thanks to GoNintendo, we've got official confirmation: Gamestop and EB Games will be taking Wii preorders beginning the morning of Friday, October 13th. Though the internal memo so callously stolen and reprinted mentioned nothing of allocation, it's wise to basically just get your arse there as quickly as you can. After all, the PS3 was chaos.Are some of you relieved? Or do a lot of you not even care, as you expect to enjoy the wonderful camping out experience in front of outlets like Best Buy or Target? Whatever your method, be sure to pick one up on launch day ... or we'll point, laugh, and make fun of you in the midst Hyrulian blades and homicidal maniac bunny rabbits.
